Whispers of Love
by Your Dark Archangel
Summary: Isabella Swan is back in Forks, and she soon meets the residing coven of vampires - who she's all too eager to know, since she knows their secret. And once she met Alice, there was never a chance she could walk away, but Alice isn't the only vampire that's taken with her... Rewrite of Twilight. Alice Futa. Isabella/Alice. Jasper/Kate. Emmett/Rosalie. Carlisle/Esme. Leah/Rachel.
1. Introductions

**Disclaimer: The Twilight Saga does not, in any way, shape, or form, belong to me…**

**A/N: This is my first multi-chapter story, and I'm excited to start writing it. I've chosen to make quite a few changes from the original storyline, which are listed below.**

**1. I am extremely anti-Edward, so he will not be seen in a positive light. However, I'm also not a fan of Bella's personality in the series, so that will also be altered.**

**2. I've also made some minor changes to the appearance of one Isabella Swan: her eyes are bright silver in my story, rather than brown. She is also graceful, not clumsy, and her height is 5'9 to Alice's 5'4. These have been changed to better suit the personality that I've designed for her.**

**3. However, the most significant change is that Alice is intersex in this story, for those of you who missed it in the summary. **

**Anything else should be made clear as the story unfolds. So, without further ado, let's begin, shall we?**

**Whispers of Love**

**Word Count: 3871**

**Edited: April 15, 2014**

"**Love is a Familiar;**

**Love is a Devil;**

**There is no Evil Angel but Love."**

– **William Shakespeare,**

**Love's Labour's Lost,**

**Act I, Scene II**

**Chapter One: Introductions**

_Hmm…I could get used to this_. For the first time in a long time, I woke slowly, with many lazy yawns and much luxurious stretching. As much as I loved them, Leah and Rachel were always a bit _too_ enthusiastically malicious about waking me up in the mornings.

I hummed quietly to myself in pleasure. I'd always been independent, and now that I was eighteen I was living on my own, though I would only be starting my senior year of high school that very morning. At that last thought, I sat up and glanced at the clock. It was only five minutes before my alarm was set to go off, so I quickly silenced it. Fortunately, I had plenty of time to get ready for my first day at Forks High.

Reluctantly, I left the warmth of my soft bed, leaving the sheets in a tangled disarray of black silk. There was no need for me to shower—I'd always preferred to shower at night before I went to sleep—so I always dressed immediately after I woke up.

Generally, I put little thought into what I wore, but I'd also been raised to believe that what you wore made a statement about you. The world was a superficial place, and people always put too much stock into the image you presented of yourself. So, though little thought went into it, I always dressed well, if not in the way that one would expect. However, I decided that it would be worth it to make the effort that day—first impressions and all that.

I gave my closet a cursory glance, before swiftly collecting my selections. My pajamas, black silk men's boxers and a dark blue sports bra, were discarded in favor of my clothes for the day. A pair of designer dark grey bootcut jeans, a black button-up with the sleeves rolled up to my elbows and the top three buttons left open, and a pair of black steel-toed boots adorned my body, hiding from view my matching black lace bra and boyshorts. A black leather jacket completed my ensemble, each and every piece specially tailored to fit my body perfectly.

As I made my way leisurely down the stairs, I again took in the sight of my house, my new home in the small town of Forks, Washington. It was a two-story, four-bedroom, three-bath home, with a finished attic and basement. So, really, there were four floors in all. The entire thing was a reflection of me, of my desires, as it should be. After all, I had designed it from the ground up.

I'd wanted a house that was completely and utterly mine, from the dark Brunswick brick of the exterior, to the intricate carvings that adorned the black doors and framework of the interior. Every inch of it spoke of my involvement in the process of creating it, and I loved that. I'd spared no expense in the building of my masterpiece, nor had I needed to. My pockets were very deep indeed, and money meant little to me, other than what it meant to the charitable pursuits I presided over on occasion.

I'd intended to arrive a bit early to the school, so I had a simple breakfast of mixed fruit and a glass of milk. It was only five minutes later that I was in the garage, ready to go. I'd always had a photographic memory, so I'd never once made use of a backpack. So, I was empty-handed as I considered my car and my motorcycle, unsure which I would rather use for my first day of school.

_Well, I already know I want to make an entrance, so why not start with my car?_ I grinned, climbing into my baby. It was a brand new, deep blue Lexus LFA. I'd just traded up from my black Nissan GT-R. The seats were black leather, and the windows were so black-tinted that it was impossible for a human to see in from the outside.

Human. A wry smile crossed my face, as I remembered why I'd been so curious and eager to begin my senior year. Forks High was home to more than one species of beings. There was a coven of vampires living in this rainy Washington town—the Cullens. I had never met them before, but my life had long been intertwined with the supernatural.

My guardians, Leah and Rachel Clearwater-Black, were shape-shifters. They shifted into wolves, and they had been my primary caregivers since the death of my parents six years previously, when I was twelve years old. Naturally, I'd noticed that they were different from normal people: they were warmer, stronger, faster, and when they were upset they growled. Before I turned thirteen, I had demanded to know their secret, and they had entrusted me with it.

The two of them were their own Pack, and Rachel was the Alpha. They were separate from the La Push Pack, which was led by Rachel's twin sister, Rebecca Black. They'd been my guardians, my family, and my protectors. Understandably, they were reluctant to have me so close to a coven of vampires, whether they drank human blood or not. But my mind was made up, so we compromised.

Now, I was living in my house in Forks, and the two of them were sharing land with Rebecca's Pack in La Push, just ten minutes down the road. Although, I would miss seeing the two of them in their wolf forms each night, as they went out for a run, Rachel's soft black coat mixing with Leah's light grey pelt.

The drive flew by as I raced through the small town, and as I pulled into the school parking lot, a smirk pulled at my lips. As expected, the other students were staring, awestruck, at my baby. I chose a space in the corner of the lot, away from everyone, and grabbed my sunglasses off the seat next to me before I slid out of the car. No need to get all of the shock factors out of the way at one time.

To all outward appearances, I was studiously ignoring the whispers that erupted around me, but inwardly I was laughing at how easily excited they were. How shallow we humans are! It took only a shiny new car and mysterious new girl to rile us up. I wondered idly if the same could be said for Forks' resident vampires… Well, personally, I fully intended to enjoy the show, though I wouldn't hesitate to set them straight if they approached me with any of their overplayed flattery and pretty words.

I strode toward the office, the picture of confidence and grace, just as I intended. If seen from afar, I entertained the notion that I may even pass for a vampire, to human eyes. A glance around the lot revealed that the vampires, the Cullens, were not around at the moment. But I'd see them soon enough.

"Good morning! How can I help you?" a friendly voice greeted me brightly, and I returned my attention to the matter at hand. The receptionist, whose nameplate declared her to be Mrs. Cope, smiled at me warmly. I flashed a small smile at her, and a blush colored her cheeks. _Hmm…interesting._

"Good morning, Mrs. Cope. My name is Isabella Swan, I'm the new student. I've just come to pick up my schedule," I informed her politely, wondering if she would say anything about my choice of eyewear. Luckily, it seemed that I would be allowed to keep my secret a bit longer, seeing as she didn't even seem to take note of it. She was too busy scrambling to accommodate me, I noted, raising one eyebrow slightly.

"Of course, dear!" she agreed, rustling about her desk in a search for my papers, her auburn curls becoming splayed across her shoulders. "Here's your schedule, a map of the school, and I'll need you to get this paper signed by your teachers. You need to bring it back at the end of the day," she explained, and I nodded in agreement. It was simple enough, though there was really no point to the small errand.

Just as I was about to respond, the warning bell for first period rang, and I hummed quietly to myself. "Thank you very much, ma'am. I'll be sure to get that paper signed and bring it back later, but I should be getting to class now," I told her, and she nodded in agreement.

Her voice followed after me, as I turned and walked out the door. "Have a nice day, dear!" she called, before muttering to herself, clearly not realizing that I would hear. "Oh, she's too young, too young…" she scolded herself.

I shook my head in amusement. I was no stranger to the romantic attentions of other, but I'd never encouraged them. It would be cruel, after all, when I had no intention of reciprocating them. Though, Mrs. Cope was one of only a few married women that had directed such interest toward me. I wondered what her husband—or her wife, though I doubted she would flaunt such a relationship in a small town such as Forks—would think of her interest in me, I mused with a silent chuckle, folding the schedule and map before placing them in my pocket. I'd already memorized a map of the school, as well as my schedule.

I shook my head in slight amusement as I walked down the halls, a path opening before me as the other students took notice of my presence. A few were even brave enough to muster a weak greeting, which I answered with a nod. I'd never been much interested in establishing deep relationships with people my own age, never really related to anyone other than my parents and my shifter family.

_Well, here goes nothing,_ I thought, as I crossed the threshold of my first period class, Philosophy with Mr. Rayne. I arrived just before the bell rang, and instantly became the center of attention. To my disappointment, I did not see any of the Cullens within the ranks of wide-eyed teenagers. I ignored my curious classmates in favor of approaching the instructor. He appeared to be absorbed in the attendance list, so I cleared my throat quietly before I began speaking.

"Good morning, sir. Mrs. Cope told me that I needed to have each of my teachers sign this," I informed him, as I presented the paper the receptionist had given me.

"Welcome to Philosophy," he said warmly, as he looked up from his desk, before he seemed to notice my choice of eyewear. He smiled apologetically, and I smirked knowingly. "I'm sorry, Miss Swan, but I'm going to have to ask you to remove your sunglasses. Then, please feel free to introduce yourself to the class before you take your seat," he invited me.

I took a mental breath. No matter how many times I made the big reveal, having done it at least a thousand times before, it still set off my fight or flight instincts. My nerves tightened the slightest bit, and I stiffened imperceptibly where I stood. Of course, outwardly I gave no sign of my anxiety as I reached up to remove my sunglasses in one smooth movement.

_3…2…1…_

Right on cue, whispers erupted and jaws dropped as they took in the sight of my eyes. It was nothing too drastic, really, just…a bit shocking. I wasn't missing an eye, and I had perfect vision. The surprise was that my irises were bright, _glowing_ silver—not grey, actual silver—which always reminded of the way that Cloud Strife's eyes were described in _Final Fantasy VII._

I studiously ignored the stares and whispers as I recited a brief, vague introduction. "My name is Isabella Swan, I'm eighteen years old, I moved here from Seattle, and, yes, my eye-color is natural," I said in slight amusement. That last one always caused at least a few of them to blush, and it didn't let me down, as there were a number of heads turned and glowing cheeks. Though I was sometimes uncomfortable with the unwanted attention, I did find it humorous on occasion.

Mr. Rayne cleared his throat and shook his head a bit. "Well, you're welcome to take either of the empty seats left in the back," he said steadily, impressing me with his quick recovery. I nodded and strode to take the empty seat in the corner. "And, everyone, you should all know that you'll be in these seats for the rest of the year. So, now that that's settled, let's get started," he began.

I listened half-heartedly as he began the typical introductory lecture, my mind drifting back to the coven of vampires I anticipated meeting. My classmates' typical reaction had reminded of one of the reasons that I was so eager to meet the Cullens, who I already knew by reputation.

There were eight Cullens, though they didn't all use the Cullen surname. Two of them were single, and the other six were split into three mated pairs. The mated pairs were Carlisle and Esme, Emmett and Rosalie, and Jasper and Kate. Edward and Alice were the two that remained unmated. Altogether, they made up one of only two known animal-drinking covens in the world.

However, the population of Forks knew them as the Cullen family, which was made up of the giving and compassionate older Cullens and their adopted children. They were seen as untouchable, and they were, truly. They could have any door opened to them, but they kept to themselves for the sake of maintaining their secrecy. In fact, they more than likely thought that it was all a show, the charade they kept up when in the company of humans. Honestly, I had little doubt that they fulfilled both roles more than they realized.

Carlisle and Esme were the leaders of the coven-family. Carlisle was a doctor, and I was certain that he was the most accomplished doctor in the world. He'd had centuries to study medicine, had seen it evolve before his own eyes. Esme, on the other hand, was the loving stay-at-home mother that every child longed for. She pursued various charitable efforts, while her "children" and her mate were away from home. It was entirely likely that she contributed more to charity than any other person in the world, though a very miniscule amount of people were aware of that fact. Together, Carlisle and Esme guided the physically younger vampires through life, and I was eagerly waiting for the day that I had convinced Rachel and Leah to take me to meet them.

Kate and Jasper were two of the Cullen teenagers. Kate was the only one posing as a blood relation to Carlisle. To the people of the town, she was his distant cousin, whose parents died several years ago. She went by the name Denali, which she had carried all her thousand years, the majority of which was spent with her first coven, the Denalis. Jasper was the third oldest vampire in the family, after his mate and Carlisle. He was a soldier through and through, and he had been turned to be a part of the Southern Vampire Wars. He was known as the Major, and he was an empath. Jasper's original surname was Whitlock, but he played the part of Rosalie's twin and used her surname of Hale.

Emmett and Rosalie were the other pair of younger Cullens that were together. Emmett was large and intimidating to look at, but he was known to have a great sense of humor. He was turned by Carlisle, though Rosalie was the one who found him dying. He went by the Cullen name, though his human surname was McCarty. Rosalie Hale was…complicated. Her human life ended in tragedy, and she never asked to become a vampire. She revered human life more than any other Cullen, and it was her deepest desire to have a child of her own. Because of the loss of that dream, she was intensely protective of her family, and she didn't trust easily.

Edward was one of the two unmated vampires in the coven-family. He was a telepath, a mind reader to be specific, and he supposedly had no control over it. He was the first of the Cullen family to be turned by Carlisle, and by all he reports he was an arrogant and misogynistic chauvinist. He'd refused to grow with the times, preferring to hold strong to the ideals that he'd been taught in his human life.

Alice Cullen was the final unmated vampire within the coven. She had the gift of premonition, and she was the only known future-seer in the world, though she was unable to see shape shifters. Alice had no memory of her human life, but she had researched for years before finding her true identity as Mary Alice Brandon. Her memory was lost due to the fact that she spent the last days of her life in a 1920's asylum, undergoing shock therapy because she had visions even as a human, which was considered to be unquestionably insane back then.

As far as anyone knew, it was all fairly straightforward. The Hales had been adopted when they were still young. The three Cullen children had each been in the foster care system before the elder Cullens adopted them. And Kate had been the newest addition a few years previously, and she was the distant cousin of Carlisle, her only remaining family. All in all, it was a story that was very well put together. It was uncommon enough to draw attention, but not so strange that it was suspicious.

Of course, the Cullens were no ordinary vampires, despite the fact that they masqueraded as ordinary humans. They apparently referred to themselves as vegetarians, since their diet was composed of animal blood, rather than human blood. I found that, in particular, to be fascinating.

Vampires, in general, were no less intriguing to me, however. So, I had done as much research as I could, studying handwritten journals—of which I was later granted permission to make bound, book copies—passed down through the tribe. I'd learned quite a bit, and there were a number of undisputed facts about the vampiric species.

They were changed by a single bite. If a vampire had the willpower to stop before their prey was drained, the bitten human would change into a vampire after three days of excruciating pain. Yet, once they woke up, they were granted immortality, nearly impenetrable skin, inhuman beauty, strength, speed… Not to mention the fact that some of them were granted a gift, such as empathy or telepathy, that went beyond the norm of vampiric ability. It was as if they were divine beings, come to walk the earth, yet they had all the flaws of a human. They were merely intensified, particularly when they first awoke.

A newly created vampire was called a newborn, and they were practically crazed by their newly heightened senses and bloodlust. Everything was overwhelming to them, and they had little to no control over their thirst. Newborns needed to be watched over, or else they would quickly expose themselves to humankind through their lack of discretion and blatant disregard for the rules.

Of course, rules and laws mean little more than air if there is nothing to enforce them. That is where Volturi come in. From what I gather, the Volturi—particularly three vampires known as Aro, Marcus, and Caius—are considered the royalty of the vampire world. They oversee all vampires, and they ensure that humans are not made aware of the supernatural world. If any vampire breaks that law, they are quickly sentenced to death.

Of course, no sane vampire, I imagine, would willingly risk the wrath of the Volturi unless they sought death. So, the vast majority of humankind remained oblivious to the extraordinary beings that walked among them, unless they had the misfortune to become the meal of a vampire. Due to that taste for human blood, the majority of vampires had blood-red eyes, which transitioned to black when they became provoked in some way or their thirst remained unsated for a long period of time.

And, again, I was reminded of why I wished to meet the Cullens. Due to their different diet, their irises weren't red, like the rest of their species. Their eyes were bright gold, though they also transitioned to black when they were thirsty or highly emotional.

When I first heard about it, I'd laughed in my incredulity. What were the odds that they had gold eyes, while mine were silver? I remembered thinking that it may well be providence. As the bell for the end of first period rang, a faint smile crossed my lips. _Who knows? Perhaps it's fate…_

**To Be Continued.**

**A/N: Well, how did I do? I'm really looking forward to getting into this story! I have big plans for Alice and Isabella, as well as the other characters. **

**1. I do not own Final Fantasy VII, Cloud Strife, or anything else to do with the franchise. It is the sole property of Square Enix. I just borrowed the name of a character and the title of the game!**

**2. There will be an explanation for Isabella's odd eye color. And yes, I decided to go with "Isabella" rather than "Bella," since it better fits the story. **

**Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter! I'll have the next chapter up soon, no later than two weeks!**

**A/N (4/15): I've just made a minor change to the story. I remembered that Rachel had a twin—Rebecca—so, I decided to make her the Alpha of the La Push Pack, rather than Jacob. However, Jacob will still be a part of the Pack, as the Beta.**

**~Your Dark Archangel**


	2. My Beloved, My Mate

**Disclaimer: The Twilight Saga does not, in any way, shape, or form, belong to me…**

**A/N: I was really pleased by the number of reviews that I got for the first chapter, and I appreciate the support of all my silent readers as well! That being said, please feel free to Review or PM me with any questions you may have regarding the story!**

**pyrolily: Rachel is physically 25 and chronologically 29; Leah is physically 25 and chronologically 27.**

**1. Please note that I've changed the curriculum for Forks High, as well as Isabella's class schedule! Gym is required only two years!**

**2. As noted above, I intend to take liberties with the ages and backgrounds of the other characters, as well as Isabella!**

**Whispers of Love**

**Word Count: 3370**

"**Love is a Familiar;**

**Love is a Devil;**

**There is no Evil Angel but Love."**

– **William Shakespeare,**

**Love's Labour's Lost,**

**Act I, Scene II**

**Chapter Two: My Beloved, My Mate**

I strode through the doors and into the lunchroom, a dissatisfied frown upon my lips. I'd already been to four of my classes without seeing a single vampire, and I was thoroughly disappointed. It was cloudy out, so there was no reason for all five of the younger Cullens to be absent from school. Surely, they realized that would cause suspicion?

I sighed. _Well, there's always after lunch,_ I thought, discouraged. By my side was a shy girl named Angela Weber. She'd invited me to sit with her at lunch and had even indulged my request that we sit separately from her typical companions, who I had found to be nothing more than the usual immature, petty teenagers. Angela, on the other hand, was refreshingly sweet and sincere.

The cooked food that the cafeteria offered was severely lacking in anything resembling nutrition, so I moved swiftly through the line, only picking up two apples and a bottle of water. After paying for my meager lunch, I followed my new acquaintance to an empty table.

Over the course of the next twenty minutes, I learned all of the basic facts about Angela's life. She was the daughter of the town minister, and she had two young brothers, twins. She appeared to be nice, though not at all outgoing. Surprisingly, I found that I genuinely liked her and would enjoy being her friend, as odd of an experience as it would be for me.

I'd just finished informing her of the bare minimum about my life, when I glanced up from my bottle of water. Our table was directly across from the doors that led to the outdoors, and I had a perfect vantage point to watch anyone coming or going. That was when I saw _them_.

They were everything that I'd expected and yet not at all. I had imagined it a thousand times over, what they must look like. After all, I could have recited all of their basic characteristics in my sleep. Yet, none of it had prepared me for the awe-inspiring experience that took place in that moment.

The first ones through door were the typical, statuesque couple. He was a mountain of a man, with muscles bulging everywhere you looked. His dark hair stood in stark contrast to his alabaster skin. By his side, she was the picture of perfection. Every inch of her was the textbook definition of beauty. Her long, golden hair swung to her waist in shining ringlets, and her figure was absolutely stunning. Emmett and Rosalie.

The second pair was less obvious, more understated than the first. His golden curls lay pristinely atop his head, but his expression was composed, rigid in military fashion. Yet, he radiated outward peace and the danger lurked calmly beneath. Her long, platinum curls fell to her lower back, and her lips were curled slightly upward into a mischievous smile. She walked with confidence and self-assurance, but it was as though she was beyond the attentions of human teenagers and she knew it. Jasper and Kate.

After the two couples, came a single male. His reddish-brown hair, almost bronze, was messy and unkempt. He walked stiffly, his lanky muscles seeming frozen in the midst of puberty, before they could complete the transition to an adult body. Overall, he could have been considered attractive to most, but he walked with arrogance. It rolled off of him in waves, and he practically screamed _repressed, narcissistic egomaniac_. Edward.

And then I saw her… She strolled in after the others, seeming lost in her own world. Her short black hair was in disarray, spikey ends pointing in every direction. A slight smile curled her lips and her gold eyes sparkled. She walked with a bounce in her step, seeming almost to dance as she strode along behind her family. She was short, perhaps just 5'4", and she had all the grace of a gazelle. She was…enchanting. Alice.

It was a struggle to remain in my seat as I watched the six take seats at what I was certain was _their _table. In the instant that I set my eyes on her, I felt a bond form that surpassed any I'd ever felt before. I wanted nothing more than to approach her, but I knew that it wasn't an option, not yet. I would have cried out if I didn't know that it would bring upon me the unwanted attentions of my classmates.

_Remember your façade…play your part, for now._

I took a deep breath. "Who are they?" I asked, feigning cluelessness. I wasn't meant to know what they were, who they were. Yet, I knew that even I made mistakes, and I was bound to call them by name if I encountered them. Therefore, it was essential that I solicit their names from my lunch companion, so that I had a valid excuse.

Angela chuckled quietly before reciting to me their backstory, as I hummed and nodded at the proper intervals. But my eyes never left her form. She seemed to be daydreaming, willingly fading into the background of her family, but she was the center of my attentions…

By the time that Angela had finished, the bell had just rung, and I rose reluctantly to make my way to my next class. I could only hope that my angel would be there, as well, but I didn't hold much hope for the chance of that. Sadly, there was nothing that I could do. I could find out her schedule and bribe the staff to alter mine, but I would never do that. It was far too much the action of a stalker, not to mention how disrespectful and invasive it would be, for me to even consider it.

As I settled into my seat, in the back corner of my Mythology & Folklore class, I sighed forlornly. I'd been correct in my assumptions and a certain Alice Cullen was nowhere in sight. I wondered—

"Sorry I'm late!" a loud voice boomed, and my head snapped up, a small grin forming on my lips. Emmett Cullen stood in the doorway, an amused smile on his face. "I got lost," he said seriously.

The teacher, Mrs. Graham, just shook her head. "Try not to let it happen again, Mr. Cullen. You may take your seat," she invited him, pointing out the only remaining seat. A seat that was, conveniently enough, just to the left of my own desk.

He didn't respond as he maneuvered his massive form through the rows before sitting down and chuckling quietly under his breath. My grin widened the slightest bit. I wondered idly if Rosalie "got lost," too.

The class passed quickly enough and too slow, and I refrained from speaking to my neighbor. I'd give them a day or two before I sprung my knowledge on them. After all, I wanted to know if I had another of their coven-family in my sixth period class, the final class of the day. Yet, all the time, I ached deep inside.

The moment that I set foot into my AP Relationships class, which was taught by Mrs. Vale, I knew that the answer to my questions was a resounding "yes." I'd taken the leisurely route, and I had no doubt that I was the last student to arrive, which I was suddenly immensely thankful for. Because there, sitting next to the sole remaining empty chair, was Alice Cullen.

I could hardly believe my good fortune, as I completed the menial ritual of getting my slip signed before eagerly taking my seat. It took every bit of my concentration to focus on the instructor's words, as I sat less than two feet away from her. I was so close that I could taste her scent—a delicious mix of blackberries, citrus, and vanilla—in the air.

Of course, I nearly broke when I realized that she was focused on me, as well. I could have wept for joy, if that was something that I was prone to. That meant that she felt it too, the connection that thrummed between the two of us. I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye, and she had an awestruck grin on her beautiful face. It was surely large enough to match the smile that stretched across my own visage.

I reluctantly returned my attentions to the instructor just in time to catch the last of her speech. "So, the person sitting with you at your lab table will be your partner in the project that composes the majority of this course. Together, the two of you will explore each stage of a romantic relationship, including friendship, dating, engagement, marriage, and parenthood. Now, why don't you take the last five minutes of class getting to know your new partner?" she finished, and I could have sworn that I was dreaming.

Had my instructor actually just given me a perfect reason to speak to the entrancing woman at my side? If it'd been possible, my grin would have stretched even wider to accommodate my ecstasy. Well, so much for my plan of not tipping my hand just yet. But I simply couldn't resist the opportunity to _really_ talk to her.

I turned to face her completely. "Hello. It's a pleasure to meet you, Alice. My name is Isabella Swan. I've been looking forward to meeting you and your family," I introduced myself, and her grin widened.

"It's nice to meet you, as well," she grinned. "You know, don't you?" Alice asked wonderingly. I chuckled quietly, but I didn't deny it. As impossible as it should have been, I was already deeply attracted to her. Therefore, it would be wrong of me to lie to her. Besides, she deserved to know the truth.

"Yes, I do know, even more than you think," I agreed, before hesitating. It hadn't immediately clicked in my mind—why should it, after all?—but now I was stunned that I had missed it. I wasn't sure if I should immediately address this, but it seemed to be the best course, for the moment. "You can feel it, can't you?" I whispered reverently.

Alice smiled softly as both our hands slid along the top of our table, and our skin met for the first time. Energy flowed between us in perfect synergy, and I never wanted to let that amazing sensation go. "Of course," she murmured, as we watched each other in awe. "You are my mate, and I am yours."

I shook my head slowly. I never expected that I would find my Beloved so early in my life. Yet, here she was. That part came as no surprise, really. I'd always been drawn to the female form, after all. "I can't believe that I'm meeting you so soon," I smiled widely, before a wry smile settled on my features. "Of course, I can imagine that you've probably been waiting for a very long time," I ventured.

She nodded in agreement, a sad glint in her eyes that I hated to see. She shook her head. "I don't have to worry about that, anymore," she said softly. "So, since you seem to know quite a bit, do you know everything about the mating bond?"

I nodded. "I know everything that's known about it. The bond forms instantly, but how fast and how strong it grows is completely dependent on the two of us. The harder that we work to develop our bond, the stronger it will grow to be. I want you to know that I intend to do everything I possibly can to make our bond as strong and as pure as it can possibly be," I said sincerely as I looked into her butterscotch orbs, and her eyes sparkled back at me.

Alice seemed to relax at my words. "That means so much to me. I've waited so long for you, and my biggest fear has always been that you wouldn't accept our bond—that you would fight against it, against _me_," she confessed, and I hummed quietly.

"I could never hurt you that way, I promise you that," I said seriously. "I've not had to wait nearly as long as you have, but it means no less to me than it does to you. As I'm sure you've realized, I'm not exactly an average human. For a long while now, I've known that I would eventually meet you."

She grinned, her eyes filled with confusion and curiosity. "I probably shouldn't say it like this, but what _are_ you?" I laughed at her question, and she elaborated. "I've never met a human like you, so much like a vampire, and even with all of the evidence that suggests it, I just find it hard to believe that you're really human." She shook her head in disbelief.

I smirked. "Well, I suppose you could say that I am one-hundred-percent human, just with a little…more," I gave her a very basic description. Even I didn't often think about it anymore, due to the fact that it was so ingrained into my life, but it would be a struggle to explain it.

"So, I suppose you would say that you are physically human, but there's more to you in every other sense?" she clarified thoughtfully, and I nodded.

"I promise you that I'll explain soon. It's just not something that can be discussed in a five-minute conversation, and it's definitely not something that should be talked about in a high school classroom," I smiled wryly, and she laughed.

"You're certainly right about that. We only have a bit more than a minute left of class, anyway," she shrugged. "So, clearly we're going to have to speak quite a bit more about all of this." A smile curved her lips upward, and I had a hard time tearing my eyes away.

I ran my hand through my hair. "How would you like to join me at my house for the afternoon?" I offered. "We'll have complete privacy, and I can drive you there, unless you'd rather go home with your siblings and then run over to join me." I was hoping that she would ride with me, so that I wouldn't have to separate from her so soon after officially meeting her, but I would, of course, not protest if she wanted to ride home with her family.

"I'd be glad to ride with you," she said excitedly. "I have so many questions, so many things that I want to know about you, and I'm sure that you have just as many questions for me. Although, there are a few things that will need to come first," Alice added, referring to my postponed explanation.

The bell rang at that precise moment, so I stood and offered her my arm. "Well, then, would you like to accompany me to the office before we head out?" I murmured, before bowing theatrically as she giggled.

"Why, of course, I'd be honored!" Alice said haughtily, as we strode out of the room, leaving a number of dropped jaws in our wake. "As soon as you finish with this, we can leave. I had a feeling that I wouldn't be riding home with them, so I told my siblings to leave without me this afternoon."

I chuckled, before pulling her closer to murmur in her ear. "I see that premonition does have its uses, doesn't it? I will explain how I know that, later, as well," I tacked on that last part before she could ask, and she laughed at me.

If Mrs. Cope had a hard time maintaining her focus earlier in the morning, it was nothing compared to the time she had of it once she saw Alice Cullen on my arm. Of course, she then took note of my eyes, and the shock-and-awe seemed to double.

I took pause at that last thought. My eyes… From what I could tell, Alice hadn't even flinched when she saw my eyes. My smile grew and I felt warmth spread through my body. No one had ever looked me in the eye for the first time without reacting at all… I'd certainly have to file that away for later.

By the time that we left the office, Alice was obviously trying not to laugh. I led her out to my car, and she grinned widely when I opened her door. "Well, aren't you chivalrous?" she asked teasingly, once I slid into the driver's seat.

I glanced over at her as I pulled out of the school's parking lot. A small smile played on my lips, and I reached absentmindedly for my sunglasses before stopping myself. "From the time that I was a child, I've been taught how to show respect, most importantly toward women. My family has always believed in holding onto the older values, without any of the chauvinistic prejudices," I explained. My family had a rich history, though each member of the family tended to make a concentrated effort to stay in the shadows. You would never find our names in the history books, if we could help it.

Alice hummed, and I could feel her curious eyes on me. I assumed that she merely found it odd that my family followed such practices, but she surprised me when she spoke. "A moment ago, when we had just gotten into the car, it looked like you wanted to reach for something before you realized what you were doing," she murmured, her question implied in her words.

A small grimace flashed across my face. "I wanted to put on my sunglasses," I admitted. "I'm sure that you noticed my rather unusual eye color, even if you didn't react. I guess you could say that it's still hard for me to let people see my eyes, even though I'm really not ashamed or embarrassed by them."

When I looked at her out of the corner of my eye, she was watching me with soft eyes. "I did notice, but I didn't think that it was my place to say anything. I think you have beautiful eyes. You don't ever have to wear sunglasses around me. After all, it's not exactly natural to have gold eyes, either," she said gently, a humorous lilt to her voice.

"Thank you," I murmured, as I pulled to a stop in front of my house. "Shall we go inside? We can talk in the living room, and maybe we can figure out how we should move forward with this." I continued speaking at a normal level, even as I moved swiftly to open her door.

She looked at me with an unreadable glint in her eyes, as I led her up the walk way and to the door. I took a deep breath. I'd not exactly had time to prepare for this, and although I knew in my soul that she wouldn't have a problem with anything I was going to tell her, it still made me nervous.

_Well, no one ever said that falling in love would be easy…_

**To Be Continued.**

**A/N: Yes, we are moving pretty fast with Alice and Bella's relationship in some ways, but I promise that we're really just getting started!**

**~Your Dark Archangel**


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